Book Publishers in Ohio Accepting Submissions
Every Ohio publishing house below was checked on its own website in October 2026: who is open, who needs an agent, what to send and how long replies take.
Published Updated Reviewed every month · next review November 2026
Top Ohio publishers accepting submissions
These Ohio publishers are open now and take work directly from authors. Each note tells you who the press suits and how to reach it.
- 1
Ohio State University Press
A strong fit for literary and cultural studies, with creative work going to its Mad Creek Books imprint. Email a scholarly proposal to the right editor, or use Submittable for creative work.
Reply: Not stated
- 2
Ohio University Press
Suits African, Appalachian, US history and Victorian studies. Email a cover letter, table of contents, sample chapters and CV to the right editor, not a full manuscript.
Reply: Not stated
- 3
Kent State University Press
A home for Ohio history, the Civil War era and fashion history. Email a proposal with two or three sample chapters, including the introduction. It is not taking fiction.
Reply: Not stated
- 4
University of Akron Press
Takes free nonfiction proposals on Akron and Northeast Ohio through Submittable or its inquiry form. Poetry comes in only through its yearly prize.
Reply: Not stated
- 5
Gray & Company
The pick for nonfiction about Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. Email an outline, sample text, audience and bio to editorial@grayco.com. It takes no fiction.
Reply: Not stated
- 6
Forward Movement
Publishes Christian resources on prayer, Bible study and church life. Follow its New Resources guidelines and submit through the online form.
Reply: 4 to 8 weeks
- 7
Franciscan Media
Open to spiritual nonfiction for adults. Email its Product Proposal Form, an outline and a sample chapter to proposal@franciscanmedia.org.
Reply: 6 to 8 weeks
All Ohio publishers
Filter by what you write and how you want to submit. Open publishers come first; every card shows when we last checked it.
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Independent publishing companyEmmaus Road PublishingChristian, Catholic, NonfictionSteubenville, Ohio, USOpen to submissionsChecked Oct 2026Emmaus Road Publishing, the publishing arm of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, takes manuscripts and proposals by email at submissions@stpaulcenter.com. Its scholarly imprint, Emmaus Academic, has its own editor and does not allow simultaneous submissions.No agent neededSend: Manuscript or proposal by emailEmailReply time not statedView profile →
Small pressForward MovementChristian, Nonfiction, Religion and SpiritualityCincinnati, Ohio, USOpen to submissionsChecked Oct 2026Forward Movement is open to proposals for Christian resources on prayer, Bible study and church life. Follow its New Resources guidelines and submit through the online form; review takes four to eight weeks. Readers are mainly Episcopal and Anglican adults.Send: Online form: synopsis, audience, comparable titles, bio, completion date; books add TOC, introduction and two sample chaptersOnline form4 to 8 wks replyView profile →
Independent publishing companyFranciscan MediaChristian, Catholic, NonfictionCincinnati, Ohio, USOpen to submissionsChecked Oct 2026Franciscan Media is open to spiritual nonfiction proposals for adults from authors without an agent. Email its Product Proposal Form, an outline or table of contents and a sample chapter of about 2,000 words to proposal@franciscanmedia.org, the only accepted route. Replies take 6 to 8 weeks. It does not take fiction, children's books or poetry.No agent neededSend: Proposal form + outline + 2,000-word sample chapterEmail6 to 8 wks replyView profile →Small pressGray & CompanyNonfiction, History, IndependentCleveland, Ohio, USOpen to submissionsChecked Oct 2026Gray & Company is open to proposals for nonfiction about Cleveland, Northeast Ohio and Ohio. Email an outline, sample text, audience and bio to editorial@grayco.com. It takes no fiction and does not guarantee a reply.No agent neededSend: Outline, sample text, audience and bio by emailEmailReply time not statedView profile →
University pressKent State University PressAcademic, History, NonfictionKent, Ohio, USOpen to submissionsChecked Oct 2026The Kent State University Press is open to nonfiction proposals from unagented authors in its subject areas. You email a proposal with two or three sample chapters, including the introduction, to an acquiring editor. It is not accepting fiction.No agent neededSend: Proposal + 2 or 3 sample chapters incl. introduction by emailEmailReply time not statedView profile →
University pressOhio State University PressAcademic, Comics, Diverse and BIPOC voicesColumbus, Ohio, USOpen to submissionsChecked Oct 2026The Ohio State University Press is open year round to unagented authors. Scholarly proposals go by email as an attachment to the relevant editor, while creative work for its Mad Creek Books imprint goes through Submittable.No agent neededSend: Proposal by email to an editor; creative work via SubmittableEmail, SubmittableReply time not statedView profile →
University pressOhio University PressAcademic, History, NonfictionAthens, Ohio, USOpen to submissionsChecked Oct 2026Ohio University Press takes book proposals by email. Send a cover letter, table of contents, sample chapters and CV to the right editor, not a full manuscript. Poetry comes in only through the Hollis Summers Poetry Prize.No agent neededSend: Cover letter with 2 to 4 page narrative, TOC, 1 or 2 sample chapters and CV by emailEmailReply time not statedView profile →University pressUniversity of Akron PressAcademic, History, NonfictionAkron, Ohio, USOpen to submissionsChecked Oct 2026The University of Akron Press is open to nonfiction proposals, free, through Submittable or its inquiry form. Poetry comes in only through the Akron Poetry Prize, which has a $25 entry fee and runs April 15 to June 15, so it is closed now. It does not publish fiction.No agent neededSend: Nonfiction proposal via Submittable or inquiry form; poetry via prizeOnline form, SubmittableReply time not statedView profile →
Mid-sizeBarbour PublishingChristian, Children's, FictionUhrichsville, Ohio, USAgent submissions onlyChecked Oct 2026Barbour Publishing does not accept unsolicited manuscripts and works only through literary agents. The Ohio Christian publisher releases devotionals, Bibles, gift books and inspirational fiction, so find an agent who handles Christian books.Send: Manuscripts through literary agents onlyThrough an agentReply time not statedest. 1981View profile →
Traditional publisherTwo Dollar RadioFiction, NonfictionColumbus, Ohio, USClosed nowChecked Oct 2026Two Dollar Radio is closed to general submissions. It closed on 27 September 2025 to clear a backlog and may reopen in set windows. When open, it takes completed manuscripts only, with a statement on fit, through Submittable. It takes no poetry.No agent neededSend: Full manuscript + fit statement via Submittable (when open)SubmittableNo reopening date givenReply time not statedest. 2005View profile → What do Open, Closed and Agent needed mean?
- Open now: the publisher's own site says it is reading submissions today, in at least one genre listed.
- Closed: not reading new submissions right now. We show the reopening date when the publisher gives one.
- Agent needed: it only reads manuscripts sent by a literary agent.
Submit with confidence
Four checks before you send anything to a publisher, whichever list you use.
Check it on their own site
Guidelines change. Read the publisher's own submissions page on the day you send.
Never pay to be published
A traditional publisher pays you. If a company asks for money, it is a paid service.
Send exactly what they ask
Query, proposal or sample chapters: follow the format and word count to the letter.
Track every submission
Note the date, the reply time and whether no reply means no before you follow up.
Ohio has a strong set of university presses, faith publishers and regional houses. This page lists 10 verified book publishers in Ohio, and 8 of them are open to submissions right now. Most of the open presses take proposals from authors without an agent, usually by email or an online form. Each listing is checked against the publisher's own site and shows whether it is open, agent-only or closed. Use the picks and notes below to find a fit for your book, then confirm the current guidelines on the publisher's site before you send anything.
How to choose an Ohio publisher
Start with what you write. Ohio’s university presses lead the list for scholarly and regional nonfiction. Ohio State University Press in Columbus covers literary and cultural studies, and its Mad Creek Books imprint publishes creative work. Ohio University Press in Athens is strong in African, Appalachian and Victorian studies. Kent State University Press focuses on Ohio and Civil War history, and the University of Akron Press publishes books on Akron and Northeast Ohio. For a book about Cleveland, look at Gray & Company, a regional press that publishes only nonfiction about Cleveland, Northeast Ohio and Ohio.
Faith publishers in Ohio
Ohio has several Christian and Catholic houses. Franciscan Media and Emmaus Road Publishing publish Catholic nonfiction and take proposals by email. Forward Movement in Cincinnati publishes resources for Episcopal and Anglican readers through an online form. Barbour Publishing is a large Christian publisher, but it reads manuscripts only from literary agents.
Who is open, agent-only or closed
Most publishers on this page are open and accept work from authors without an agent. Barbour is agent-only. Two Dollar Radio, an independent literary press in Columbus, closed general submissions to clear a backlog and may reopen in set windows. Poetry is a special case at several presses: Ohio University Press and the University of Akron Press read poetry only through prizes, and the Akron prize has an entry fee. The standard book routes on this page are free.
Publishing companies in Ohio by city
If you are searching for Columbus book publishers or publishing companies in Columbus, Ohio, start with Ohio State University Press, plus Two Dollar Radio when it reopens. Writers looking for publishing companies in Cincinnati can try Forward Movement, which lists a Cincinnati address. For Cleveland publishing companies, Gray & Company is the clearest fit for local nonfiction. Most Ohio publishing companies here take proposals by email or online form, so you do not need to live nearby. Each listing is checked against the publisher’s own site, but policies change, so confirm the guidelines before you send.
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Questions authors ask
Answers use the live data on this page.
Which Ohio publishers accept submissions without an agent?
Most of them do. Ohio State University Press, Ohio University Press, Kent State University Press, the University of Akron Press, Gray & Company, Forward Movement, Franciscan Media and Emmaus Road Publishing all take work from authors without an agent. Barbour Publishing is the exception, since it reads manuscripts only from literary agents. Check each publisher's own site before you send anything.
Are there book publishers in Columbus, Ohio?
Yes. Ohio State University Press is in Columbus and takes scholarly proposals by email, with creative work going to its Mad Creek Books imprint through Submittable. Two Dollar Radio, an independent literary press, is also in Columbus but has closed general submissions for now. Watch its submissions page for news of a reopening window.
Which Ohio publisher takes books about Cleveland?
Gray & Company publishes nonfiction about Cleveland, Northeast Ohio and Ohio, including local history, sports, true crime and travel. Email an outline, sample text, a description of your audience and a short bio to editorial@grayco.com. It does not take fiction, and it says it is not a vanity press, so authors cannot pay it to publish.
Do Ohio publishers charge fees to submit?
The standard book routes on this page are free. The one fee to know about is the University of Akron Press poetry prize, which charges an entry fee and is the only way it reads poetry. A traditional publisher pays you, not the other way around, so treat any request to pay for publication as a paid service.
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How we verify listings. We list traditional publishers only: no hybrid, vanity or paid self-publishing companies. Every listing is checked on the publisher's own website and rechecked every month. This page was last updated 26 Oct 2026; next review November 2026. Spotted a change? Tell us.
